"We need you to come with us."
David looked away from the group of men he was talking to, and in the direction of the voice. Two high ranking solders stood, ready and waiting to take him. From the looks of their armor and weapons, by force if necessary.
Without further hesitation, David went with the men. After walking several minutes in silence, he saw that they were taking him to the king's tent.
Apparently, he was in bigger trouble then he realized.
One soldier held the tent flap open, allowing the other soldier, David, and then himself to duck into the tent. The King was leaning over a table, looking at some maps with another solder. Upon their entrance, the King looked up and studied him.
"So this is the boy who is badgering the men about fighting Goliath." He smirked slightly, and sat down in an ornate wooden chair next to the table.
He wasn't badgering anyone, and he would make sure the King knew that. Even if he was the only man in this camp, he believed God would help a single man defeat Goliath. "Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
King Saul laughed at him, but David didn't budged. His stance with firm. Slowly King Saul stopped laughing. He shot out of his chair. "Surely you can't be serious! You will not be able to fight this Philistine. You're just a kid. What do you know about battle? You have your whole life ahead of you. The Philistine has been a warrior since he was a kid, that was his life."
David felt the words like a harpoon to his heart, but he would not budge. Something in his spirit man was leading him to do this. Kid or not, Yahweh would be with him. "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. Whenever a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went after the beast. I would strike them down, and deliver the lamb from its mouth. If the beast got up and came after me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and killed him. I, your servant, have killed several lions and bears. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God." David took a deep breath. The small audience in the tent listened to him with rapt attention. "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
King Saul studied him intensely. David held his graze. He wasn't sure if that was the proper thing to do with the King, but he would not back down. The King looked at the commander he had been talking to previously. The commander shrugged, and King Saul took a few steps to stand directly in front of David. Putting his hand on David's shoulder, he said, "Go, and the Lord be with you!"
Based on 1 Samuel 17:31-37
I have related to David so well here! If God has given you a call, a job to do, then who cares if you are young or old?
Don't you just love David's heart here? His stand of faith? Here he is before the king of Israel, and he won't back down! He was the man for the job. He didn't care that he was young.
In 1 Samuel 16 when David was anointed king, Samuel went through a similar learning experience. Samuel saw all seven of David's older brothers, but God didn't want them to be king. After seeing seemingly perfect Eliab, God told Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
Saul looked at David's outward appearance. A handsome young man with ruby red checks, movie star hair, and bright eyes. He didn't see what God saw, which was a warrior, a leader, the future king of Israel, a man after His own heart. Most importantly, a man who believed and was willing to serve.
"Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, on faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was give you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress." 1 Timothy 4:11-15
This was a letter that Paul wrote to his young friend, Timothy, whom God had chosen to lead a church. Though these words were originally spoken to Timothy, they are also spoken to us. Do not let anyone despise you for youth, old age, or anywhere in between. Be an example to the Saul's in the world, and don't ever let your heart harden to the point of looking at another believer, and despising them for their youth, old age, lack of education, or background. Do not neglect the gifts God has given you. Practice them. Trust God.
Nobody is too young to have lions and bears in their lives, and nobody is too young to take on a giant. Not as long as God goes before him or her.
V. Joy Palmer
Check out http://snackpackdevotionsforkidz.blogspot.com
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